Thermoelectric conversion element and thermoelectric conversion module

Abstract

Provided are a thermoelectric conversion element and a thermoelectric conversion module using the thermoelectric conversion element. The thermoelectric conversion element has a first substrate having a high thermal conduction portion which has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of other regions, a thermoelectric conversion layer formed on the first substrate, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer formed on the thermoelectric conversion layer, a second substrate formed on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, having a concave portion, which at least partially overlaps the high thermal conduction portion of the first substrate in a plane direction and is on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer side, and made of a metal material, and an electrode pair connected to the thermoelectric conversion layer. According to the present invention, a thermoelectric conversion element and a thermoelectric conversion module are obtained which improve the heat utilization efficiency and generate electric power with excellent efficiency.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thermoelectric conversion element comprising:
 a first substrate having a high thermal conduction portion which has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of other regions in at least a portion in a plane direction; 
 a thermoelectric conversion layer formed on the first substrate; 
 a pressure sensitive adhesive layer formed on the thermoelectric conversion layer; 
 a second substrate formed on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, having a concave portion, which at least partially overlaps the high thermal conduction portion in the plane direction and is on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer side, and made of a metal material; and 
 an electrode pair connected to the thermoelectric conversion layer such that the thermoelectric conversion layer is interposed between the electrodes in the plane direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The thermoelectric conversion element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a depth of the concave portion is equal to or greater than 20% of a thickness of the second substrate. 
 
     
     
       3. The thermoelectric conversion element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the thickness of the second substrate is equal to or greater than 0.05 mm. 
 
     
     
       4. The thermoelectric conversion element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the concave portion has a wall all around the peripheral region thereof in the plane direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The thermoelectric conversion element according to  claim 1 , further comprising,
 an insulating layer on a front side of a surface on which the concave portion of the second substrate is formed. 
 
     
     
       6. A thermoelectric conversion module comprising:
 a plurality of the thermoelectric conversion elements according to  claim 1  that is connected to each other in series. 
 
     
     
       7. The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein a heat dissipating fin or a heat dissipating sheet is provided on the second substrate side. 
 
     
     
       8. The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the heat dissipating fin or the heat dissipating sheet is bonded to the second substrate by a thermally conductive adhesive sheet or a thermally conductive adhesive. 
 
     
     
       9. The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the thermoelectric conversion elements are one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally arranged, 
 all of the thermoelectric conversion elements share one sheet of the first substrate and one sheet or the second substrate, 
 each of the high thermal conduction portions is long in the arrangement direction of the thermoelectric conversion layers, and 
 each of the concave portions is long in the same direction as a longitudinal direction of the high thermal conduction portions. 
 
     
     
       10. The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the thermoelectric conversion elements are two-dimensionally arranged, 
 the high thermal conduction portions are arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the high thermal conduction portions coincides with one arrangement direction of the thermoelectric conversion elements and that the high thermal conduction portions are arranged in the other arrangement direction, and 
 the concave portions are arranged in the same direction as the high thermal conduction portions in a state where a longitudinal direction of the concave portions coincides with the longitudinal direction of the high thermal conduction portions such that the concave portions alternate with the high thermal conduction portions. 
 
     
     
       11. The thermoelectric conversion module according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the thermoelectric conversion layers are preferably formed at an equal interval in the arrangement direction of the high thermal conduction portions, 
 the width and the interval of the high thermal conduction portions are the same, 
 the width and the interval of the concave portions are the same, and 
 the width of each of the high thermal conduction portions is the same as the width of each of the concave portions.